the life-boat · liverpool watson. ft. 34 x 35 x 37 ft in. x 9 40 x 10 42 x 11 32 x 9 40 x 12 43 x...

THE LIFE-BOATJ O T J B N A L

OF THE

national %ife*Boat Institution,(ISSUED QXUBTEBLY.)

VOL. XVIII.—No. 206.] IST NOVEMBER, 1902. [PEICE 3d.

SKETCH OP THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OFCOAST LIFE-BOATS.

1785-1900.

No. 9.

BEFORE concluding this subject, a fewcomparative notes as to cost, size,weight, &c., of the Life-boats under dis-cussion may prove of interest.

Taking the matter of cost first. It isdifficult to assign the exact cost ofLionel Lukin's first Life-boats, becausethey were existing boats—yawls, intowhich he introduced his Life-boat fitt-ings. Greathead's Life-boats cost from100Z. to 200Z. according to size. Thereis in existence at Redcar a Life-boatbuilt by Greathead in 1802, 31 ft. x10 ft. 6 in. beam, which originally cost2001.; this, however, appears to havebeen a higher price than was usuallypaid for Life-boats in the early part oftho nineteenth century. An old Life-boat at Sheringham, 33 ft. X 10ft. 3 in.,cost 150Z., and a Shields boat stationedat Cromer in 1830, measuring 31 ft. X9 ft. 6 in., 160Z. Small Life-boats variedvery much in price. Of course muchdepended on the particular type of Life-boat ; for instance, a boat 24 ft. x 8 ft.of Mr. Plenty's design usually cost about160Z., whereas those built to Mr. Pal-mer's drawings were much cheaper, a

Life-boat of this type, 26 ft. x 6 ft.only costing about 60Z. The celebratedNorfolk and Suffolk Life-boats were veryinexpensive and also very long-lived, and,as has been already pointed out, thefirst of this class built under the direc-tion of Lionel Lukin by Bareham ofLowestoft in 1807, measuring 40 ft. x10 ft. 4 in., cost 2007., and was in

1 existence up to 1850. A Life-boat of] similar type was built for Caister in

1846 ; she measured 42 ft. X11 ft. 6 in.and cost 250Z. Prior to 1852 thehighest price given for a Life-boat was400Z., viz., for the Southwold boat builtin 1841, measuring 40 ft. x 11 ft. ThisLife-boat was replaced in 1855 by aboat which did service until 1893, aperiod of forty-eight years, the originalcost being only 200Z. Another of thistype is the Life-boat still stationed atPakefield, measuring 46 ft. x 12 ft.,built in 1872 at a cost of 291Z.

The introduction of the self-rightingLife-boat and a more complicated styleof building soon made the prices rise,and, in addition to the builder's cost, theexpenses of survey has to be added, for

VOL. XVIII.—No. 206.—LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL. 2 L

546 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST NOVEMBER, 1902.

every Life-boat is built under the verystrictest surveillance.

The price of labour has enormouslyincreased, so also has material, besideswhich the Life-boats are much morecomplicated than formerly, centre-boards, water-ballast, heavy iron orsteel keels, &c., all tending to swell thebill. The following figures are approxi-mately the prices paid for Life-boats,irrespective of their gear, at thepresent time:—

Ft. Ft. in. £Self-righting. . 35 x 8 6 800

. . 37 x 9 3 900

. . 40 X 10 6 1,050„ . . 42 X 11 6 1,200

Norfolk & Suffolk^ I 400(improved). ./ 32 x 9 ° \ (in 1897)

40 x 12 0 1,20043 x 12 6 1,400

Liverpool . . 85 x 10 0 900Watson . . . 38 x 9 4 900

„ . . . 40 x 11 0 1,300„ . . . 43 X 12 6 1,700

Steam Life-boats about £3,500 to 5,000

The above figures are only veryroughly taken, but are quite accurateenough to show the enormous expenseof modern Life-boats as compared withthose built in the first half of thenineteenth century.

Turning to the question of size again,a large accession will be noted in thelater boats. Prior to 1840, a very largenumber of the Life-boats on the coastranged between 24 to 30 ft. long andfrom 7 to 10 feet broad; a few were32 ft. and one or two 33 ft. long. There \were two exceptions, viz., the previouslyquoted Lowestoft Life-boat, 40 ft. x11 ft. 3 in., and a sailing Life-boat builtfor Yarmouth in 1833, measuring 39 ft.X 10ft.

After 1840 a few larger Norfolk andSuffolk boats were built, and after 1852a further increase in size all round isnoticeable. At the present date thesmallest Norfolk and Suffolk Life-boatsare 31 ft. X 9 ft., and the largest46 ft. X 12 ft. 9 in. Self - rightingLife-boats vary from 34 ft. X 8 ft. to42 ft. x 11 ft. 6 in.; Watson from

32 ft. X 8 ft. to 45 ft. X 12 ft. 6 in.;and the latest Steam Life-boats measure56 ft. x 14 ft. 8 in.

In comparing weights, formerly therewas a large number of small Life-boatsweighing about 1 ton each, but so manyaccidents occurred to them that theylost favour.

The Greathead and Shields Life-boatsweighed from 2J tons to 5 tons. Thefollowing table shows the approximateweights of Life-boats now in use :—

Self-righting

Norfolk & Suffolk

LiverpoolWatson.

Ft.34 x35 x37

Ft in.

X 940 X 1042 X 1132 x 940 x 1243 x 1235 x 1038 x 940 x 1143 x 12

Tons.23}4|8

7|8i3|67

11

The 34 ft. x 8 ft., 35 ft. x 8 ft. 6 in.self-righting Life-boats, and the Liver-pool 35 ft. X 10 ft. are the boats usuallyemployed on open beaches and in placeswhere it is necessary to transport themlong distances. A few of the smallerNorfolk and Suffolk boats are likewiseused. The Watson boats, with theexception of the 32 ft. X 8 ft. atTramore and the 36 ft. X 8 ft. 10 in. atBlackpool, are too heavy to be used asbeach boats. The heavier boats of alltypes are either launched from slipways,kept afloat, or, as in the case of theNorfolk and Suffolk boats, launched on" skids " and hauled out by a " haul-offwarp," and do their work under sail.Steam Life-boats, on account of theirgreat weight, are of course always keptat moorings.

In 1850 all Life-boats were "not-self-righting," but after that year, whichmarks the introduction of the self-righting boat, the Institution's fleetmainly consisted of self-righting Life-boats. In 1880 the records show thatout of a fleet of 270 Life-boats, only

1ST NOVEMBEB, 1902.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 547

22 were "not-self-righting" Life-boats,and of these four were "tubular" boats.

In 1890 the fleet consisted of 293Life-boats, only 21 of which were of"not-self-righting" types. At presentthe fleet of Life-boats belonging to theROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTIONconsists of 287 boats, and the change inthe composition of it in the last decadeis interesting and noteworthy.

Self-righting Life-boats . . . 227Not-self-righting Life-boats—

Steam 4Cromer type . . . . 3Lamb and White type . 1Liverpool „ 14Norfolk and Suffolk type . 19Tubular type . . . . 1Watson 18

— 60

From this it appears that the Watsonand Liverpool types find much favouron the coast. The Norfolk and Suffolktype practically remains stationary,and with the exception of the boatsstationed at Walton-on-the-Naze andSouthend-on-Sea, is confined to thecoasts which give them their name.The tubular Life-boats, never very popu-lar, are only represented by one boatstationed at Rhyl.

From Lionel Lukin, whose name ismentioned first in connection with Life-

boats in these articles, to the presentdate is " a far cry "—some 117 years—and it has been the object of this seriesof articles to bridge over this perigd, bytracing the growth of the elaboratetypes of Life-boats now used on thecoasts of the United Kingdom as theywere evolved from the simple designs ofLionel Lukin, Greathead, and Would-have.

The account given lays no claim toscientific research, and the plain state-ments of facts, descriptions and dimen-sions of the various Life-boats, opinionsof the men who work them, &c., are alltaken from the documents and referencebooks in the possession of the ROYALNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. Sucha compilation can hardly be consideredof absorbing interest to the generalreader, as in the nature of things itmust be rather dull reading, but it ishoped it may be of value as a record andpossibly an assistance to anyone who, atsome future date, may be prompted towrite a full and detailed history of Life-boats and the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. Such a history,written in a manner worthy of so greata subject and totally free from forcedsentiment, would be a valuable additionto naval literature.

(Conclusion.)

LIFE-BOAT SATURDAY FUND.

THE Life-boat Saturday workers haverequired to use all their energy and zealduring the past year in pressing on theircampaign on behalf of the fund. Whatwith the South African War, and anincreased Income Tax, followed byPeace Demonstrations and CoronationFestivities, the thoughts of the Britishpublic have naturally been to a greatextent diverted during the major partof the Life-boat Saturday season. Not-withstanding discouraging circumstanceshowever, the Local Committees andLadies Auxiliaries have stuck to their

guns, and we feel sure will be able toshow at the close of the financial year avery creditable total of receipts as theresult of their self-denying and meri-torious labours. On former occasions ithas been necessary to warn the collectingagencies for the Life-boat SaturdayFund against extravagance in workingarrangements, and we are glad to knowthat our advice on that head has not"fallen on stony ground," but that insome directions satisfactory reductionsin the percentage of the cost of demon-strations and collections have been

2 L 2


effected. The argument so constantlybeing used that because such a largeproportion of the moneys raised forcharities by means of demonstrations,galas, bazaars, Ac., goes for expenses,these means should not be adopted atall, is of course unreasonable and foolish;but at the same time it is the duty ofall connected with such organisations todo their utmost to keep the expendituredown, so that no possible handle may begiven to detractors, who as a rule whilstdoing nothing to help on or encourage agood cause themselves are particularly

" at home" in criticising adversely thegenerous and unselfish labours of others.

In looking forward to the new yearwe would wish to cheer and encourageall engaged in assisting tc promote thewelfare and best interests of the ROYALNATIONAL LIFE - BOAT INSTITUTION,feeling assured that sustained effort andhearty co-operation with the Committeeof Management and their officers musttend to secure and maintain a thoroughlyefficient and well-conducted service, pro-ductive perhaps of even greater resultsin the future than in the past.

UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE.

AT the close of the fiscal year ended the30th June, 1901, the Life-saving Estab-lishment of the United States embraced270 stations, an increase of 1 as com-pared with the previous year. Of thistotal (270) 195 were situated on theAtlantic and Gulf coasts, 58 on thecoasts of the Great Lakes, 16 on thePacific coast, and 1 at the Falls of theOhio, Louisville, Kentucky. In themajority of cases, the stations are keptopen for only a portion of the year, thetimes ranging from 3 to 10 months.

The number of disasters to documentedvessels within the field of the stationoperations during the year was 377,and there were on board these vessels2,848 persons, of whom only 7 were lost.The estimated value of the vessels was$5,263,420, and that of their cargoes<$2,OSO,580, making the total value ofthe property imperiled, $7,354,000. Ofthis amount $6,405,035 was saved and$948,965 lost. The number of vesselstotally lost was 43. In addition to theforegoing, there were also 393 casualtiesto undocumented craft—sail boats, rowboats, etc.—carrying 927 persons, 10of whom perished. The value of theproperty involved in these instancesis estimated at $213,540, of which$160,240 was saved and $53,300 lost.647 persons were succoured at the

stations, the number of day's relieffurnished aggregating 1,214.

The foregoing figures show tiafc therewere only 17 lives lost during the yearwithin the scope of the Service. Thistotal of lives lost is considerably belowthe average for the last 25 years, theyearly average in that period havingbeen 37—that is to say, 1 life lost inevery 13 casualties, whereas in the yearunder consideration the number of liveslost represented only 1 in every 45casualties. From documented vesselsalone the number of lives lost was only7, i.e., 1 to every 54 casualties.

In 548 instances, vessels were workedoff when stranded, repaired whendamaged, piloted out of dangerousplaces and similarly assisted by thestation crews. Besides these, assistanceof minor importance was rendered to403 vessels and small craft. 231 vesselsrunning into danger were warned offby station patrolmen, namely, 210 bynight signals and 21 by day signals.

The surf-boat was used 720 times,making 996 trips. The self-rightingand self-bailing life-boat was used 78times, making 118 trips. The gasolinelaunches at the City Point Station wereused 112 times, making 119 trips.Smaller boats were used 502 times,making 585 trips. The river Hfe-skifls

IST NOVEMBER, 1902.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 549

at the Louisville Station were used 53times, making 56 trips. Tho breechesbuoy was used 11 times, making 73trips. The wreck gun was employed15 times, firing 24 shots, and theheaving stick was used 27 times.

684 persons during the year werelanded by the surf-boats ; 172 by thelife-boats; 165 by the gasoline launches;56 by the river life-skiffs; 194 by other

station boats, and 65 by the breechesbuoy.

The cost of maintaining the UnitedStates Life-Saving Service during theyear ended the 30th June, 1901, was$1,640,013, to which must be added thesum of $42,645 expended in the salariesof the officials at the head office, makinga total of $1,682,658, or :£345,751sterling.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.*

THE Marconi system of wireless tele-graphy appears to be slowly moving outof the experimental stage of develop-ment. Undoubtedly the project is fullof splendid possibilities, and the talentedinventor is doing his best to realise themand to bring his process within the rangeof practical politics. For maritimepurposes the Marconi process seemspeculiarly adapted to be of service, sooften is it desirable in connection withnavigation and shipping to send messagesacross long distances. Its utility as atpresent developed is recognised in theBritish Navy, there being no fewer thanforty of H.M.'s ships fitted with wirelesstelegraphy installations, whereby theships of a fleet can hold converse withone another, or receive orders from head-quarters on shore. The war vessels ofthe Italian Navy are also being equippedwith the Marconi apparatus for signal-ling purposes, and it is probable thatthe naval authorities of other countrieswill before long adopt the system.Lloyd's are making use of it successfullyfor many of their signalling stations,and about twenty of the Transatlanticliners are equipped with the Marconiapparatus, of which many passengersare glad to avail themselves on leavingor approaching the shores of England orthe United States. In addition to thisthe Admiralty have recently issued anotice to mariners, intimating that theMarconi Wireless Telegraph Companyhave established stations at Frinton-on-Sea (Essex), North Foreland, Niton (Isleof Wight), Poole Haven, Lizard, Holy-head, on the English Coast; at Rosslare, '

* From The Shipping and MercantileGazette, August 28, 1902.

Crookhaven, Malin Head, and Inishtra-hull, in Ireland ; at Borkum, Germany ;Nieuport,Belgium; Belle Isle, Labrador;Chateau Bay, Labrador; and Sagapo-nack, Long Island, U.S.A.; wheremessages can be received and forwardedto their destinations. In the variousservices above referred to the applicationof the wireless telegraph system is of asimple character, consisting merely ofthe direct transmission from one pointto another of messages across interveningspaces. This is, of course, in itself asplendid achievement, and may be attimes of the greatest service, but it mustbe borne in mind that the messages sosent would be liable to be read by othersbesides those for whom they wereintended. In this respect, however,Mr. MARCONI has made some advancebeyond the capabilities of his earlierapparatus. He is now able to regulatethe length of the electric waves generatedby a transmitter, and to adjust thereceiving instrument to respond only towaves of a certain length. With thisarrangement a private conversation canbe carried on, intelligible only to theparties concerned, unless in the vicinitythere is another pair of instrumentsgiving off and receiving electric wavesof the same length, in which case theremight be some confusion. Mr. MARCONIalso states that he is now able to connectto the vertical sending wire severaldifferently tuned transmitters, and tothe receiving vertical wire a number ofcorrespondingly tuned receivers, thusenabling different messages to be sentby one transmitter simultaneously, andto be received also simultaneously bythe correspondingly tuned receivers.


Mr. MARCONI is still engaged in furtherdeveloping this part of his invention,and if he is able to overcome the liabilityof messages to get into wrong handsor to be otherwise interfered with, hissystem will certainly be much morepractically serviceable than it now is.It has been thought, and practical trialhas confirmed the idea, that the wirelesssystem would be invaluable for communi-cating between lightships or outlyinglighthouses and the shore. At presentthis is accomplished with more or lesssuccess by means of submarine cables,which are necessarily costly to lay and tomaintain. But the trial of the systemof etheric communication between theEast Goodwin Lightship and the SouthForeland proved a complete success.Here were two fixed points, eleven milesapart, between which it was demon-strated that communication could be atall times easily maintained. For theordinary purposes of the lighthouseservice the system would no doubt bemost useful, but the chief expectation ofits utility would be that by its agencyinformation of any vessel in distress inthe vicinity could be promptly com-municated to the land, and the necessaryassistance expeditiously sent off. Foruse in this respect we trust the systemmay ere long be permanently establishedat many stations. For conveying warn-ing signals in foggy weather from salientposts on the coast, it is not so clear thatthe Marconi apparatus could be effectu-ally employed. In such conditions the

essence of the warning to be conveyedto the mariner is to let him know wherehe is relatively to the signalling station,and about how far distant he is from it.But this is information which cannot atpresent be given by the wireless systemwith any approach to accuracy, notwith-standing Mr. MARCONI'S ingeniovisattempts to concentrate the electricwaves into a kind of beam and sendthem out only in a given direction, sothat they should be receivable onlywithin a certain arc. It is difficult tounderstand that a receiving instrumentcan give any indication as to where thewave motion was generated, or, in otherwords, the direction from which themessage was despatched. As LordRAYLEIGH has stated, it is of no usemerely to be told by a message thatsuch and such a signalling station exits,and if the wireless system can. do nomore than this it is useless for conveyingsignals to mariners in foggy weather.Moreover, the question of distance is animportant one. According to presentknowledge it does not appear possiblefor the wireless message to convey anyidea whatever of the distance of itsoriginating source, and in a fog a marinerwould, therefore, get no assistance injudging his distance from the signalstation or fixing his position. These areserious deficiencies in respect of the useof the system for coast fog - signalpurposes, but Mr. MARCONI is quick-sighted and persistent, and may in timeeven overcome these difficulties.

ADDITIONAL STATIONS AND NEW LIFE-BOATS.

BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT.—Theinauguration of the Queen Victoria newLife-boat on this station, a descriptionof which was given in the last number ofThe Life-boat Journal (pp. 528-9), tookplace on the 23rd August in the presenceof a large number of spectators, and wasin every way completely successful.

The ceremony was honoured by thepresence of H.R.H. PRINCESS HENRYOF BATTENBERG, Governor of the Isleof Wight, who was accompanied by

PRINCE ALEXANDER OF BATTENBERG ;and attended by Miss MINNIE COCH-RANE and Colonel the Hon. F. COLBORNE.The Parent Institution was representedby Colonel FiTzRoY CLAYTON, Deputy-Chairman, Major JOHN E. B. SEELY,D.S.O., M.P., and Lieut. H. T. GARTSIDETIPPING, R.N., Members of the Com-mittee of Management, Lieut. C. E. F.C0NNINGHAME GRAHAM, R.N., DeputyChief Inspector, and Mr. KEPPEL H.FOOTE, District Inspector of Life-boats.


The Local Committees had as theirrepresentatives, amongst others, SirCHARLES SEELY, Bart., President of theIsle of Wight Branch, Mr. H. C. MILLS(Atherfield) Rev. J. N. PALMER, Dr.HUGHES and Mr. W. COULDREY (Bern-bridge), Mr. G. HOWARD (BrighstoneGrange), the Mayor of Byde, andMr. J. H. LEAL (Ryde), Mr. A. BAYLIFFEand Mr. SIMONDS (Totland Bay).

On the arrival of the Princess theroyal standard was hoisted on the flag-staff and Her Royal Highness wasreceived by Major SEELY and led to alarge marquee where various presenta-tions were made, after which theceremony was proceeded with.

Colonel FrrzRoY CLAYTON, inwelcoming Her Royal Highness, saidhe thought it his duty to give ashort synopsis of the work and efforts ofthat Life-boat station since its forma-tion in the year 1867. He afterwardsproceeded to congratulate the Coxswainand crew on their good service in theLife-boats previously placed there, andto express the hope that they would doequally good work in the present boat.A great honour had been conferred uponBembridge by HER LATE MAJESTY allow-ing her name to be associated with theboat which was presented to Bembridge.It was quite evident to him that theRoyal Family took a great interest, notonly in the Life-boat Institution, but inthe Bembridge station in particular,because as he said before, the Duchessof EDINBURGH launched the new boatin 1887, and now they had Her RoyalHighness Princess HENRY OF BATTEN-BERG taking the trouble to come thereto launch and name this further newboat (applause). Therefore he was surethey were all proud, and he could speakfor the Institution, at the way thatstation had been honoured by the RoyalFamily. If anything could induce thosegallant fellows to do more and do finerduty than they had hitherto done, theyhad only to think that the eyes of theRoyalty of the United Kingdom werelooking down upon them. On behalfof the Institution he thanked Mr.COULDBEY and Dr. HUGHES, the hon.secretaries, and the rest of the Bem-bridge committee for the hard workwhich they had undertaken and done in

connection with that Life-boat station.He thanked her Royal Highness mostheartily for coming there at greattrouble to herself, having so manyoccupations and duties to perform.They thanked her very sincerely for herkindness, and on behalf of the ROYALNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION he hadthe pleasure of handing over that fineboat to the care of the Bembridge com-mittee and the general committee of theIsle of Wight (applause).

Sir CHARLES SEELY said that hehad the honour to thank Her RoyalHighness on behalf of the Isle of WightBranch of the Institution. There weresix life-boats in the Isle of Wight, all ofwhich they were proud to think were mostefficient for the purpose for which theywere designed, that of saving life fromshipwreck. The Island should be wellsatisfied with the way in which itsupported its Life-boats, considering itspopulation and income, and the extentof its shores. It was an encouragementto everyone in the Island to do his dutyin supporting the Life-boats when theysaw the Queen of England and theRoyal Governor of the Isle of Wightgiving their sanction to that Institution.Col. CLAYTON had delivered the boat tothe care of the Committee. He had nodoubt whatever that they would dotheir duty by it. But it was really tothe Coxswain and the brave men whomanned the boat that it was committed.He had no doubt that in the time ofstorm and tempest they would do theirduty and launch the boat as gallantlyand well as, no doubt, they would thatday in that time of calm, peace andcomfort (applause).

The Rev. J. N. PALMER then con-ducted a short religious service, com-mencing with the singing of the well-known hymn "Eternal Father, strong;o save," led by the Sandown TownBand and the Bembridge Mixed Choir.Then followed the prayer used onsimilar occasions and the Lord's Prayer.

The Princess then christened the boatay breaking a bottle of wine on the bows,adding the following words :—"I name7ou Queen Victoria, and hope you may

save many lives." The boat was thensuccessfully launched amidst cheeringand the singing of the National Anthem.

552 THE LIJb'E-BOAT. [1ST NOVEMBEB, 1902.

The Life-boat was joined when afloatby the Atherfield Life-boat, CatherineSwift, which had been brought roundfrom her station by her crew to bepresent at the inauguration of the sisterboat.

CROMER, NOBFOLK.—The Life-boatstationed by the Institution some yearssince at Cromer has recently beenreplaced by the Institution by a newone, of the type known as the " Liver-pool " non-self-righting type, 38 ft. long,10 ft. 9 ins. wide, and rowing 14 oarsdouble-banked. She is fitted with twowater-ballast tanks and also has twosliding or drop-keels. The cost of thenew boat and equipment has been de-frayed from a legacy bequeathed to theInstitution by the late Miss EMILYHEABTWELL, of Holloway, London, forthe building and equipment of a Life-boat to be named the Louisa Heartwell,and placed on the east coast.

A larger house has been providedfor the boat from the designs ofthe Engineer and Architect of theInstitution; this adds largely to theefficiency of the Life-boat Establishment,which was publicly inaugurated, on the9th September, in the presence of alarge and distinguished company.

Lord SDFFIELD, President of theCromer Branch, in opening the pro-ceedings, said that it was a greatpleasure to him to be present on thatauspicious occasion, and to declare theboathouse open and, in the name of thedonor, present the new Life-boat to theInstitution. A more beautiful boat ithad never been his fortune to see, andhe trusted it might be the means ofsaving a great many lives. He sawthat during the forty-five years therehad been a Life-boat at Cromer sixty-three lives had been saved. Thatmight not appear a very large numberfor that period of time, but they shouldremember that the boat was ready to goto the assistance of others unfortunateenough to get on to a lee shore in badweather. They all knew there thatsailors always gave that coast a wideberth; but sometimes they would beblown in, and then the Life-boat wouldgo out and be, he hoped, successful insaving them. (Loud cheers.)

Commander HOLMES, R.N., DistrictInspector of Life-boats, said, on behalfof the Institution it was a great honourto accept the boat. After explainingin detail the steps recently taken toimprove the efficiency of the CromerLife-boat Station, he pointed out thatall that expenditure would be of no useunless they had an efficient Life-boatcrew to take care of the boat. Hethought .their record showed they woulddo their best in the future, not only tokeep their reputation but to add to it.In JAMBS DAVIES, the Coxswain, theyhad a worthy son of a worthy father whowas the Coxswain for twenty-one years,and who died in 1893, greatly regrettedby all who knew him. The son whohad succeeded to the post had earnedthe confidence not only of the Institutionand the Local Committee, but, hethought he was right in saying, of themen under him—(cheers)—and he hopedthat for many years he would live tofulfil his responsible task. (Renewedcheers.) On behalf of the Institutionhe desired to thank Lady Suffield fortaking part in the ceremony. Theywere most grateful to her for coming,and her presence lent distinction to theproceedings of the day. In handingover the new boat to the Local Com-mittee, of which Mr. H. BBOADHUBST,M.P., was chairman and Mr. GEO. RUSTthe Hon. Secretary, who had done agood deal to improve the finances of theCromer branch, he hoped every carewould be taken of her, so that shemight be ready for service day or night.(Cheers.)

Mr. H. BBOADHUEST, M.P., in thename of the Hon. Secretary and Mem-bers of the Local Committee, gladly ac-cepted the grand gift made to them.They thanked the donor and the Insti-tution for placing such a magnificentboat at their service. They hoped therewould only be few occasions for her use,but if only one life was saved a greatwork would have been done and worthyof all the effort made. It had been toldthem that the father of their Coxswainheld the position twenty-one years, andfor over thirty years was a member ofthe crew. The present Coxswain, whowas unanimously elected to succeed hisfather, had been a member of the crew


for twenty-seven years. All had themost full and complete confidence in hisseamanship and judgment, and knew ofhis courage and bravery. (Cheers.)

A short choral service, conducted bythe Rev. J. F. SHELDON, then followed.The music was provided by Mr. W.KEMP'S Orchestral Band. Two hymnswere sung : first, " O God, our help inages past," and second, " Eternal Father,strong to save." At the close LadySUFFIELD stepped forward and said, " Ihave pleasure in naming this Life-boatthe Louisa Heartwell, and I hope it willsave many lives," at the same timebreaking the bottle suspended over thebow of the boat.

Amid renewed cheers the work oflaunching was speedily accomplished,among those on board being members ofthe Local Committee and CommanderHOLMES, Lord CARRINGTON, and LadyHASTINGS.

The crew of the Cromer Life-boatwere subsequently entertained at theBath Hotel, Cromer, to a capitalrepast.

Lord SUFFIELD presided, being sup-ported by the Rev. J. F. SHELDON,Captain G. KENNEDY, and Mr. R. W. W.CARTER.

The Chairman, in submitting " TheKing," said his Majesty, since he hadbecome King, had visited the hills atCromer, and he was sure it would notbe the last time he would do so.

His Lordship also gave "The healthof the Coxswain and Crew of the newLife-boat." He said he would drinkheartily to the restoration to health ofCoxswain DAVIES, and as to the newLife-boat, he felt sure they would alwaysfind plenty of men to go out with herwhen they were wanted.

Mr. B. HARRISON, as acting Coxswain,responded.

Other toasts followed, interspersedwith songs and music, and altogetherthe crew spent a very enjoyable evening.

APPLEDORE, DEVON, AND ARANMORE,DROGHEDA, GREENCASTLE AND PORT-RUSH, IRELAND.—New Life-boats havealso been placed at the above-mentionedstations; they are self-righting boatsexcepting that at Portrush, which isof the " Liverpool" non-self-rightingtype. The first named being an en-dowed boat, the gift of the late MissLEICESTER, of Bishop's Road, W., is,like its predecessor, named the Robertand Catherine. The others were pro-vided from legacies left to the Institutionby the late Miss ELIZABETH BROOKE,of Londonderry, Mr. H. L. BEDDINGTON,of Cornwall Terrace, N.W., Mrs. E. A.WILLIS, of Weston-super-Mare, andMr. SAMUEL WEYMOUTH HOPWOOD,of Queen Anne's Mansions, London.The names of the four boats are LaTotitam, Hose Beddington, Brittan Willisand Hopwood.

THE BEACHMEN'S "SHOD.":

HALF-A-MILE from the village, close tothe verge of a cliff more remarkable forits fossiliferous deposits than for height,a little wooden hut, built of wreck-timber and roofed with red tiles, standsexposed to the full fury of every stormwhich blows, according to the marinevernacular, "from the nor'rard." Toall appearance the hut, or, as the mem-bers of the beach company whose head-quarters it is call it, the " shod," mightdate from the days when Defoe visitedthis part of the coast and remarkedthat all its barns, stables, and hog-styes

* Prom The Globe.

were built of the "ruins of marinersand merchants' fortunes" ; but "Uncle"Jethroe, who boasts the distinction ofbeing the oldest member of the com-pany, confidently asserts that its frame-work "was erected the year after Nelsonwon the Battle of the Nile, and thathis (Jethro's) father cut the corner-postsout of the wreck of the Norwegianbarque Odin, which drove ashore duringthe previous winter. So it may besafely assumed—for a beach company'straditions with regard to wrecks are astrustworthy as an almanac—that someparts of the existing " shod " date fromthe early years of the nineteenth cen-

2 L 3

554 THE LIFE-BOAT. [IsT NOVEMBER, 1902.

tury. As a wooden building, therefore,it has some claim to be consideredvenerable. More than any house inthe village it has associations calculatedto stir the heart and excite painfulfeelings. From the shelter of its low,storm-battered roof men have hastenedto meet death and do daring deeds.Undaunted by the fact that theirfathers' bones lay deep beneath the sea•which roared its dread challenge tothem, they went out unhesitatingly tomeet their fathers' fate or gain anothervictory over their familiar friend andancient enemy.

When the Norwegian winds, as thebeachmen call the north-easters, areblowing, and the treacherous shoals offthe coast are showing their " hungrywhite teeth," an interesting group oftenassembles around the fire which " Uncle"Jethro keeps burning in the hut. Forthe most part it consists of the menwho, whenever there is a call for theirservices, man the Life-boat which islaunched near a neighbouring cleft inthe cliffs. Some of them are hardy oldseamen who have laid their hands " uponthe ocean's mane and played familiarwith its hoary locks " ; others are long-shore men who snatch a precarious liveli-hood from the sea by draw-netting andshrimping; but a few are men usuallycontent to labour on the land and yetare always ready to make up the com-plement of the Life-boat's crew. All ofthem, seamen and landsmen, seem tohave inherited, in a greater or lessdegree, the sea-going instinct, whichmay have come to them from a Norseancestry, for before the Normanconquest the Scandinavian raiders ofEast Anglian shores established manysettlements on this part of the coast,and the hamlets still perpetuate thenames of long-forgotten vikings. Occa-sional mutual defiance of stormy windsand seas has here cemented an under-standing between seamen and somewho nearly the whole year through arelandsmen. A century or so -ago asimilar league existed to baffle the localexcisemen. Around the fire tales arestill told of the days when the beachmenwould launch their boats and put off tosome French lugger which had creptinshore under cover of night, while

certain farmhands, living in isolatedcottages near the coast, in response tostrange signals flashed from seaward,would steal down to the shore andconvey mysterious bales and kegs tosome cache in the midst of the marsh-ands. Probably, if the truth weremown, it would reveal that the beachcompany, though now an institutiondevoted to life-saving and cargo-salvage,was originally a smuggling gang, and itis doubtful if there be a man amongits members who would consider thissurmise a reflection on its integrity.If there be any dark pages in its history—and deeds that were not all romanticoccurred in the old free-trading days—they are so written over with therecords of brave deeds that no man nowneed blush to show them.

If anyone imagines that Crabbe'sdescription of the beachman as—

a wild amphibious race,With sullen woe disglay'd in every face;Who, far from civil arts and social fly,And scowl at strangers with suspicious eye,

still applies to the men of our EastAnglian seaboard hamlets he has onlyto join the company assembled in thehut on a winter's night to be undeceived.When the men are yarning, he willhear such outbursts of merriment asmay cause him to wonder that explosionsof mirth have not accomplished whatthe storms have been unable to do—that is, demolish the hut long ago.Instead of being greeted with scowlsand glances of suspicion, he will see aplace vacated for him at the firesideend of one of the wooden benches; andif his sociability equals that of thosewhose companionship" he has sought, itwill soon win him an attentive andresponsive audience. Instead of an"artful, surly, savage race," he willdiscover men whose heroic conductwould, had it been witnessed by theworld's eye, have won them lastingfame—men who are accustomed toreckon risk of life" all in a day's work."Some of them, it is true, will not impresshim as looking like heroes. For instance,no one would imagine that the short,rubicund, grizzly-haired 'longshore man,who is always smoking a black claypipe or humming that familiar EastCoast sea-song, the "Princess Koyal,"


once, when the rocket-line failed toreach a stranded schooner, plunged intothe surf 'with a rope made fast to hiswaist, and, after being twice swept backbreathless to the beach, succeeded incarrying the line to the breaking vessel.Nor is there in the appearance of OldNed, the Life-boat coxswain, anythingto suggest that his services have beensuch as to gain him a medal with twoclasps from the Life-boat Institution, apair of binoculars from the Board ofTrade, and an expression of thanks andadmiration written in a language which,to the old man, is as cryptic as uncialGreek, endorsed with the signature ofone of Europe's greatest Monarchs.

Such gatherings as take place in thehut, when the voice of the wind takesthat deep note which is a cry of warningto the seamen, are familiar to manydwellers on the East Anglian coast,and it is to them that hundreds ofsailors owe their lives. For, no matter

how interesting may be the yarning orcontagious the merriment, watchfuleyes are always on the look-out for thenickering of the ruddy flare, or thesoaring of the rocket, and ears alert forthe booming of the lightship gun. Aflash from far over the troubled watersis enough to empty the hut in aninstant of all but the decrepit veterans,and before the latter have decidedwhether the flash came from seaward oroff the shoals, the Life-boat crew aretackling on to the hauling-off rope,and the men on the tossing lightshipknow that their signal is being answered.And once again there is a fight betweena few strong - hearted men and themightiest forces of nature, a battlefought which, whether lost or won, willattract less notice than the announce-ment of a race result, but which, whenthe final accounts of men's lives areaudited, should show something to thesea-warriors' credit in the Book of God.

THE WRECK REGISTER AND CHART FOR THE YEAR 1900-1.

THE Wreck Register not having beenissued as early as usual by the Board ofTrade, we are unable to furnish ourreaders, in the November number of ourJournal, as has been our wont, with aChart showing the wrecks and shippingcasualties which have taken place aroundthe coasts of the United Kingdom during

the year 1900-1, and with the otherinteresting and important statistics con-nected therewith, which it has been ourpractice to bring under their notice fornearly fifty years. We hope, however,to give a summary of the Register inthe next number of the Life-boat Journal,which will be published in February 1903,

SERVICES OF THE LIFE-BOATS OF THE ROYAL NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

NOETH DEAL, KENT.—The's.s. Bion,of Newcastle, laden with oil, fromBatoum for London, stranded on theinner part of the North Goodwin Sandin a thick fog on the morning of the15th Feb., 1902. In response to signalsfrom the Gull Light-vessel, the Life-boat Mary Somerville was launchedabout 8 A.M. and proceeded to thevessel. The services of the Life-boatmen, in conjunction with the crews oftwo luggers, were engaged to pumpsome of the oil out of the tanks inorder to lighten the vessel. About1500 tons were thus jettisoned, and

about 40 tons of bunker coal werethrown overboard. Kedge anchorswere laid out, and ultimately, with thehelp of four steam-tugs, the steamerwas got clear of the sands, her ownengines being, by the advice of thecoxswain of the Life-boat, put full speedahead to assist in the operation.Having been taken into deep water,the Bion proceeded under her ownsteam for Gravesend, accompanied byone of the tags, and having on boardthe coxswains of the Life-boat andluggers, who remained to assist themaster with their local knowledge.


MONTROSB, FORFARSHIRE.—About6.20 A.M., on the 21st February, rocketswere fired from Scurdyness, indicatingthat the services of the Life-boat wereneeded. The crew were summoned, andin about ten minutes the Life-boatSarah Jane Turner was launched, andproceeding to the Annat Bank foundthe fishing boat Marjory Brown, ofMontrose, stranded there, strikingheavily and the heavy seas washingover her. The Life-boat shipped a veryheavy sea, but managed to rescue thefive fishermen, and landed them at 7.30.Later in the day the Life-boat againwent to the vessel at the request of theowners and assisted to bring her safelyinto the river.

HAUXLEY, NORTHUMBERLAND. — Thecoastguard reported, on the night ofthe 21st February, that he had heardsignals of distress. A steamer was seenon the Bondicar Rocks : she had a lightburning and was sounding her whistle.A moderate breeze was blowing fromthe S., the weather was thick and thesea moderate. The reef being a danger-ous one it was considered that it wouldbe impossible to render any help bymeans of a coble, and therefore fcheLife-boat Algernon and Eleanor waslaunched. She put off about 10.30,and found the s.s. Velocity, of and fromLondon, in ballast, for Blyth. Some ofthe Life-boat men went on board, ananchor was laid out, and as the tidewas flowing, the steamer soon floated.At the master's request three of theLife-boat men remained on board toaccompany him to Blyth so as to assisthim if anything happened, and theLife-boat returned to her station. Thevessel then seemed watertight, but soonbegan to leak; however the donkeyengine was sufficient for working thepumps, and she safely arrived at herdestination.

WINCHELSEA, SUSSEX.—A telephonemessage was received from the coast-guard at Galloways, stating that a ketchwas ashore, on the morning of the 23rdFebruary. The Life-boat John WilliamDudley was launched at 8.40, in arough sea, a strong S. breeze and athick mist, and found the ketch Pilot

laden with china clay, stranded betweenGalloways coastguard station and Jury'sGap. The master having engagedthe services of the Life-boat men,the anchor was slipped, sails set, andultimately the vessel was got awayfrom the shore. They then mannedthe pumps as the ketch was leakingbadly. One of the crew, which con-sisted of four men, was injured, and asthere were no spirits on board somewere supplied to him from the Life-boat'sstore. Arriving about a mile and ahalf from Dungeness the Life-boatmenenquired of the master if he wished anyfurther help, and on his stating that hedid not, they were arranging to returnto their station, but the vessel's crew, inview of the tact that she was in a leakycondition and had no anchor or cableon board, refused to go any further ifthe Life-boat left. The master thereforeasked that the Life-boat men mightaccompany him to Dover, and theyaccordingly did so. Dover was reachedat 4.30 P.M., but it was impossible to getinto the harbour until 11.30. Theinjured man was then landed by theLife-boat. Having finished their workat 1 A.M. the Life-boatmen proceededto the Sailor's Home to rest, and on thefollowing evening at about 7 o'clockarrived back at Winchelsea.

CLACTON-ON-SBA, ESSEX.—A severenorth-westerly gale was experienced offClacton on the morning of the 15thMarch accompanied by a rough sea.About 8.15 A.M. a vessel was seendrifting towards the Gunfleet Sands.Information was at once conveyed tothe Life - boat authorities, and theAssistant Honorary Secretary, onseeing the vessel was getting into adangerous position, decided to launchthe Life-boat Albert Edward.

This was done shortly after 9 A.M.,and on coming tip with the vessel, shewas found to be the ketch Crania, ofBrixham, but no one was on board.The Coxswain, without delay, put somemen. on her, and sail having been set,a start was made to take her to Bright-lingsea. On the way they fell in withthe owner, who had come out in asmack, and he accepted the offer of theCoxswain to see the ketch into safety.

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As soon as the ketch was under weighthe Life-boat returned to her station;during .the whole of the time she wasafloat her behaviour evoked the greatestpraise, the local authorities speaking inthe highest terms of her performance.

MARGATE, KENT.—At 6.45 A.M. onthe 15th March, while a strong galewas blowing from N.W. and a roughsea was running, information was givenby the Coastguard that a vessel was onthe N.W. part of Margate Sand. TheLife-boat Civil Service No. 1 was imme-diately launched and proceeded to herassistance, but when within about amile of the distressed vessel she alsogrounded. As it was then just aboutlow water the Coxswain anchored andlay there for about an hour. On thetide flowing sufficiently another effortwas made to reach the vessel—the ketchJustice, of Harwich—and after consider-able difficulty and hard work the Life-boat was brought alongside. With theassistance of three of the Life-boat menthe vessel was got off the sand andbrought into Margate, thus saving boththe vessel and crew of three hands.It subsequently appeared that thebarge had been riding at anchor closeto the sands, and when she commenceddriving towards them, the masterslipped his cable and forced his vesselto the top of the sand to prevent herfoundering.

BAMSGATE, KENT—On the 16th Marchat 1.20 A.M. a message was received fromthe Coastguard that the Gull Lightshipwas exhibiting signals of distress. TheLife-boat Bradford was at once orderedout and proceeded in the directionindicated. The weather was clear, witha moderate W.N.W. wind and slightsea. On arriving they found theschooner Morwenna, of Truro, ladenwith clay and sand from Teignmouthto London, had been driven ashore abouthalf-a-mile from the North Goodwinbuoy. She had become unmanageablethrough the loss of her yards and headsails. Just as the Life-boat got alongside,the vessel again floated, so the masterrequested that she might be taken toRamsgate. Accordingly, six men wereput on board, and a rope having been

passed to the steam-tug Aid, which hadgone out with the Life-boat, a start wasmade for the harbour, which was reachedsoon after 4 A.M.

DUNBAR, HADDINGTONSHIRE.—Duringa westerly gale and moderate sea on theafternoon of the 18th March, the smackYoung Helen, of Buckhaven, struck on the" Wildfire rock," bet ween North Berwickand Dunbar. On the information beingreceived the Life-boat William ArthurMillward launched and proceeded to herassistance. On reaching the scene ofthe accident they found the vesselrolling very badly and the crew hardat work at the pumps. As it was thenimpossible to tell the extent of thedamage and whether the smack wouldfloat with the flood tide, the skipperrequested the Life-boat to stand by himin case it became necessary to abandonhis vessel. After remaining nearly fourhours the smack floated off, and theythen accompanied her back to Dunbar,where she was safely berthed during theevening.

CARDIGAN.—While a strong N.W.gale was blowing with heavy seas on theevening of the 24th March, the signalmanfired the alarm signal indicating a vesselin distress in Cardigan Bay. The Life-boat Lizzie and Charles Leigh Clare waslaunched shortly after 8 P.M., and pulledout to the vessel, which proved to be theschooner John Ewing, of Carnarvon,bound from London to Cardigan. Shewas then dragging her anchors and drift-ing towards the shore. As too much riskwould have been incurred by the Life-boat going alongside, the Coxswainanchored, and by means of a ropesecured to the schooner and a Life-buoysucceeded in gallantly saving the crewof four hands in an exhausted condition.Shortly after the rescue was effected thevessel beached on the Pembrokeshiresands, her hull by that time being com-pletely under water, and became a totalwreck.

EXMOUTH, DEVON.—A fishing boatwhich had proceeded to sea in favourableweather early in the morning of the24th March, was overtaken by a stronggale from S.S.W., and as the sea became


very heavy accompanied by a very thickrain, considerable anxiety was felt forthe safety of the crew. About noonshe was observed with her sails split,dangerously near to the sands. The Life-boat Joseph Soam.es was launched, andproceeding to the Fairway buoy, whereshe remained by the boat in readinessto render help to the crew should anycasualty befall them; eventually how-ever they succeeded in bringing hersafely in.

HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.—About mid-night on the 24th March IT. M.S. Opossum,while lying in the harbour at Holyhead,dragged her anchor and collided withthe schooner Gipsy Maid. As she fireda rocket and showed signals of distress,the steam Life-boat Duke of Northumber-land proceeded to her and succeededin towing her clear of the schooner.Shortly after this the cables of theGipsy Maid parted, and the Life-boatthen went to her aid and assistedto bring her in safety into the oldharbour. There was a N. gale blowingat the time accompanied by very coldweather and rough sea.

PETEBHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE.—Whilethe Coxswain of the Life-boat GeorgePickard was working in the Life-boathouse during the afternoon of the 1stApril, information was brought himthat a vessel had gone ashore at ScotstonHead. After consulting the HarbourMaster, he at once launched the boatand proceeded under sail to the vessel,in the face of a strong N.W. gale.She proved to be the schooner Pioneer,of Dundee, bound for Nairn with acargo of coal, and was fast on the rocks,rolling heavily. The crew were preparingto leave in their own boat, but on thearrival of the Life-boat and of a steamer,which had also come up, they decided tomake an attempt to float the schooner.A rope was passed by means of theLife-boat to the steamer, and after agood deal of trouble she was eventuallygot off and towed into harbour, the Life-boat returning at the same time.

A telephone message had in the mean-time been sent to Whitelink Bay,notifying a vessel in distress, and theCoxswain of the Life-boat stationed at

that place at once launched the ThreeBrothers and proceeded to the scene ofthe accident. She arrived a shorttime before the vessel was got clear,but her assistance was not required.It was impossible for the WhitelinkBay Life-boat to make her station thatnight against the wind and tide, so shealso ran for Peterhead Harbour, andwas taken back to her station two dayslater when the weather had moderated

SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. — About4.30 P.M. on the 15th April two fisher-men reported that two cobles, engager!in crab-catching between four and fivemiles north-east of the Castle foot,were indanger owing to the strong sea and fog.It was therefore deemed advisable tolaunch the Life-boat Queensbury, andabout 4.45 P.M. this was done; sheproceeded in a north-easterly directionabout a mile without sighting any boats.About 6.30 P.M. however two cobles,one of which was the Ocean and theother the Queen's Jubilee, were seenmaking for the harbour. The Life-boatpulled to the former, took her crewof two men on board and the boat intow, bringing them safely into harbour.On the way they spoke the Queen'sJubilee, and instructed them to remainoutside until they could return for her.This they did, and after landing thetwo men the Life-boat went back andescorted the second vessel into safety.

GORLESTON, SUFFOLK.—-A telephonemessage was received from the coast-guard about 1.30 P.M. on the 18thApril stating that a vessel was ashorehalf-a-mile south of the watch-house. Inthe absence of the Coxswain, the AssistantCoxswain immediately summoned thecrew of the Life-boat Leicester and pro-ceeded to the position indicated. Theweather was very thick and the searough with a strong breeze from S.E.They found the stranded vessel was thesteam-trawler Notus, of Great Yarmouth.As assistance was not required to gether off, the Life-boat stood by until thevessel floated, and having seen she wasno longer in danger started to returnfor Gorleston. On coming near thepier they were informed that anotherboat was aground to the northward, so

560 THE LIFE-BOAT. NOVEMBER, 1902.

proceeded in that direction. That boatproved to be the lugger Sunshine, also ofGreat Yarmouth, but before the Life-boat reached her she succeeded ingetting off, and as the Life-boat'sservices were not required she returnedto her station.

STROMNESS, ORKNEY.—A small lobsterfishing-boat, while out at sea to the westof Hoy Head on the morning of the22nd April, was caught in a suddengale from S.E. On the matter beingreported to the Honorary Secretary, heat once despatched the Life-boat GoodShepherd to her assistance. She even-tually succeeded in rescuing the crew ofthree men and saving the boat, whichwas taken in tow and brought back toStromness about 4.30 P.M. In themeanwhile the wind had much increasedand was then blowing a heavy gale ; thistogether with the rough sea and thestate of the tide prevented any attemptbeing made then to house the Life-boat; after a wait of some hourshowever this was safely accomplished.The position of the boat and heroccupants when rescued was veryperilous, as their only chance of safetywas to remain close under the cliff to theS. side of the Head, and had a land seaset in nothing could have saved them.

DUNGENBSS,KENT.—About 5.30 A.M. onthe 26th April the Coastguard watchmansent a message to the Life-boat Stationthat a four-masted barque was ashorein West Bay. The Coxswain promptlyassembled his crew and launched theLife-boat R.A.O.B. to assist her. Onreaching the vessel, which proved tobe the Crown of India, of Liverpool,bound for Hamburg with a cargo ofgrain, the master at first declined anyassistance, but later the Life-boat menwere engaged by him to assist in gettingthe vessel off. Having given thehelp required, the Life-boat returnedashore, but owing to the rough sea andstrong breeze it was necessary to beachher at Dungemarsh and return her tothe boat - house when the weathermoderated. The vessel on getting clearwas able to proceed on her way.

CLOVELLY, DEVON.—A member of the

Local Committee having observed whathe took to be a signal of distress from avessel in Barnstable Bay about 10 P.M.on 28th April, reported it to the Coast-guard, and after consulting the man onwatch, it was ascertained that a boathad been showing flares, but apparentlyonly for " pilotage " purposes. Whilethey were watching however anotherflare was made accompanied by a rocket.The signal was at once fired to assemblethe crew of the Life-boat Elinor Roget,and she proceeded to the assistance ofthe vessel, which proved to be PilotGutter No. 21, of Newport. On goingalongside -they found her in a sinkingcondition, having sprung a leak •whileoff Trevose Head. It was then justafter midnight, and the two men whowere on board were much exhausted, asthey had been working at the pumpsince noon the previous day. Themaster was anxious to get his cutter toIlfracombe, but as that place wassixteen miles to windward the Coxswaindid not consider it possible. Four ofthe Life-boat crew were put on. board,and they succeeded in bringing her insafety to Clovelly Roads. The Life-boat accompanied her and stood byuntil high water on the 29th inst. incase it should be necessary to take themen off. Having saved the vessel andher two occupants, the crew thenassisted to get her into harbour, andsteps were taken to stop the leak.When the work was completed thevessel sailed for Newport. During thisservice, which occupied the whole night,the weather was very cold and rough,JOHN DUNN, the Bowman of the Life-boat, contracted a chill, subsequentlydeveloping pleurisy and influenza, fromwhich he never recovered. He left aninvalid widow and one dependentdaughter. As he had been a memberof the crew ever since the Life-boat wasestablished at Clovelly, and held thepost of Bowman for ten years, theCommittee resolved to make a grant of125?. for the benefit of the dependentrelatives, leaving the distribution of themoney in the hands of the LocalCommittee.

BROADSTAIRS, KENT.—The ketch Meteor,of London, bound for Dunkirk with a


cargo of pitch, had her mainsail andjib blown away in a south-westerly galeon the 3rd May when about two milesfrom the South Foreland. In responseto her signals of distress the Life-boatFrancis Forbes Barton launched about1.35 P.M. and proceeded to her assistance.The sea was very rough at the time, butthey succeeded in placing two men onboard, who with the crew of the ketch,managed to bring her into RamsgateHarbour safely, the Life-boat meanwhilestanding by in case her services shouldagain be required.

WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.—About 8 A.M. onthe 5th May a north-easterly gale sud-denly sprang up, accompanied by rainand sleet and a rough sea, whereuponseveral fishing cobles, which had leftthe harbour earlier in the morning,attempted to return. The first two todo so, while crossing the bar werenearly swamped, and only got in withgreat difficulty, one of them beingdashed against the end of the East Pier.As the remaining boats were in periland had still to make the harbour, theNo. 1 Life-boat Robert and Mary Ellislaunched and stood by them until out ofdanger, when she was returned to herhouse.

About half-past three on the morningof the 2nd June, in thick weather, afisherman reported that a three-mastedvessel was anchored within about aquarter of a mile of the Wbitby RockBuoy, close to the rocks, and in a verydangerous position. The Coxswain ofthe No. 2 Life-boat John Fielden at onceassembled his crew, launched "the boat,and proceeded to the vessel, whichproved to be the schooner Frier, ofPoole, laden with a cargo of coal. Asthe captain could not get his vesselunder way and into a position of safetywithout assistance, he requested theLife-boat to stand by him. After shehad been in attendance for some timethe fog lifted, when a steamer was seenapproaching from the southward. Thecaptain of the schooner then asked theLife-boat to proceed to the steamer andascertain if they would be willing totow the Frier into safety. This servicethe steamer undertook, and the Life-boat carried a hawser to her. When

this was accomplished, the Frier slippedher anchor and the services of the Life-boat were apparently at an end; beforethey had proceeded far however thetow-rope parted and the John Fieldenhad to again give her assistance inrestoring the communication. Thesecond rope held, and the Life-boat,after seeing the schooner well out tosea in tow of the other vessel, returnedto her station.

STAITHES, YORKSHIRE.—While someof the fishing cobles were at sea on the12th May, the wind, which was blowingin a north-easterly direction, freshenedand the sea became rough. As it wasprobable that some of the boats wouldrequire assistance, the Jonathan StottLife-boat launched at 9.30 A.M., andremained by the boats while they crossedthe bar. When all had reached theland in safety, which was accomplishedby 1 P.M., the Life-boat returned ashore.

NEWBIGQIN, NORTHUMBERLAND.—Onthe 12th May towards the middle ofthe day the N.N.E. wind freshened andthe sea became dangerously rough.Several of the fishing cobles were at sea,and as four were known to be somemiles away, it was thought advisable tolaunch the Life-boat Robert and Susan.This was done about 11.15 A.M., and shebeat up to windward until she fell inwith them. It subsequently appearedthat they had left the fishing grounds incompany together, and in order to runfor safety without any delay had toabandon part of their gear. On meetingwith them the Life-boat returned,accompanying them to Newbiggin, andremaining by them until all danger waspast.

SENNEN COVE, CORNWALL.—During adense fog on the 27th of May H.M.Torpedo Destroyer Recruit struck therocks, about half a mile N. of Cape Corn-wall, at 4 o'clock in the morning. TheCoxswain, hearing distress signals, sum-moned the crew of the Life-boat AnnNewbon, launched and proceeded to herassistance. Her Commander requestedthe Coxswain to stand by. Tugs subse-quently arrived, and during the afternoonshe was got off the rocks and towed to


Penzance. After remaining in attendancefor about two miles, the Coxswain wasinformed that their services were nolonger required, so the boat returnedashore, arriving at 5 P.M.

BERWICK - on - TWEED, NORTHUMBER-LAND.—On Sunday morning the 1stJune, while a north-easterly gale wasraging, accompanied by a heavy sea,the coastguard look-out man observeda barque, about six miles off, flyingsignals of distress. On this beingreported to the Honorary Secretary,he at once went to the boathouse,assembled the crew, and at 9.30 A.M.launched the John and Janet Life-boat.A steam-tug, which was also proceedingto the assistance of the vessel, took theLife-boat in tow. On reaching her, shewas found to be the barque Demelra, ofChristiania, in tow of a steamer, boundfrom Middlesbrough to Shetland with acargo of salt. The assistance of theLife-boat and tug was declined, so afterremaining a short time they started toreturn to Berwick-on-Tweed. They hadnot proceeded far however before theywere recalled by the barque hoistingfurther signals of distress. On theirreturn they found the crew were quiteexhausted and wanted assistance to manthe pumps. Every man in the Life-boatvolunteered, although it meant runninggreat risk to board the vessel in sucha sea. Indeed, the boat only escapedbeing capsized by a hair's-breadth, a nearapproach to the vessel being attended bythe greatest danger. Soon after 11 A.M.,by skilful management, three men weresuccessfully put on board. In doing so,the Life-boat was somewhat damaged.The men found 9 feet of water in thehold, and for some hours worked inces-santly at the pumps, single-handed, thecrew of the Demetra being compelled torest. About 4 P.M. the rope betweenthe vessel and the Life-boat parted, andLt was only after hard work that com-munication was once more restored.This had only just been effected whenthe masts commenced to go by theboard, and the crew reported that theship was sinking. The wreckage of thespars flying in all directions made the

deck unsafe, so the crew decided toabandon their vessel, and asked to betaken into the Life-boat. It beingunsafe for the Life-boat to go alongsidethe vessel, on account of the heavy searunning, communication was obtainedby means of a line rove through a"tail" block, and the work of rescuecommenced. The Life-boat men on thesinking vessel displayed great coolnessand skill during this difficult and dan-gerous operation, and it was chiefly dueto their efforts that it was accomplishedwithout fatality. Having seen all thecrew off, they were the last to leave theship.

By this time Berwick was so faraway that it was out of the question toreturn there, and in view of the hardwork and exposure experienced, theCoxswain deemed it desirable to makethe shore as soon as possible. Afterpulling a distance of eight miles, withthe rescued men on board, the boatarrived in safety at Eyemouth about8.30 P.M., and the Life-boat having beenmade secure, was left there for thenight.

It being Sunday, most of the crewhad run down to the boat dressed intheir best clothes, some even goingwithout any breakfast. By the timethey landed again in the evening theywere all, owing to the roughness of thesea, both wet through and exhausted.The Honorary Secretary took immediatesteps to procure food for them, afterwhich they were driven back to Berwick-on-Tweed, reaching home about mid-night. Next day they went over toEyemouth, and brought the John andJanet back to her station.

An additional grant was made bythe Committee of Management to theCoxswain and crew on account of theirarduous work, and they specially recog-nized the services of the three men whoboarded the vessel. A special letter ofthanks was also ordered to be sent tothe energetic Honorary Secretary ofthe Branch, Dr. C. L. ERASER, whoalso went out in the Life-boat on thisoccasion and shared the fatigues anddangers of the Life-boat men duringtheir efforts to save the vessel.


SUMMARY OF THE MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE.

THURSDAY, 8th May, 1902.Sir EDWABD BIBKBKOK, Bart., V.P., in

the Chair.

Bead and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Financeand Correspondence, Wreck and Reward andother Sub-Committees and ordered that theirrecommendations be carried into effect.

Also read the minutes of the last meetingof the Central Committee of the Life-boatSaturday Fund, and ordered that theirrecommendations be carried into effect.

Bead the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their recent visits to thefollowing stations:—

Northern District—Newburgh, WhitelinkBay, Fraserburgh. Peterhead, Port Erroll,Stonehaven, Gourdon, Johnshaven, Montrose(two boats), Banff, Buekie, Stromness, Long-hope, Huna, Thurso, Wick and Ackergill.

Eastern District — Margate (two boats),Staithes, Runswick, Upgang, Whitby (twoboats), Robin Hood's Bay, Scarborough, Filey,Flamborough (two boats), Bridlington, With-ernsea and Hornsea.

Irish District — Wicklow, Clogher Head,Southport (two boats) and Blackpool.

Beported the receipt of the following specialcontributions since the last meeting:—

£. s. d."S.C.G. In Memoriam" for a

Charles Deere James Life-boatfor any station, but preferablyfor Devonshire 1,000 - -

The Thoragate Trustees (annualsubscription) 80 - -

The lateHuddersfield and DistrictShipowners' Association, perJ. T. KILNEB, Esq 57 - -

T. S. WHITAKEB, Esq. (additional) 50 - -Trustees of Berman's Charity (ad-

ditional) 10 10 -—To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies:—&. s. d.

The late FREDERICK FLOOD, Esq.,of Dorking 300 - -

The late T. GBAHAM YOUNG, Esq.,of West Calder, per GlasgowBranch (balance and interest) . 252 11 4 :

The late G. W. HAMILTON, Esq.,of Helensburgh, per Glasgow IBranch (with interest) . . . 25 5 3 i

The late GEOBGE SACH, Esq., ofElmstead 132 19 6

The late CHABLES CLEAVES, Esq.,of Southport (to endowmentfund) 100 - -

The late Mrs. GIBSON, of Dublin . 89 5 6The late EDWABD M. HKNKIQUES,

Esq., of Broughton Park, Man-chester 45 - - I

The late Mrs. F. E. THOMAS, of 'Nunney, Somerset (additional). 1 17 - !

Beported that Colonel the Hon. CHARLESE. EDGCUMBE, a Member of the Committee ofManagement of the Institution, was raisingfrom private friends a fund to supply one ofthe Institution's house-flags to each of the 18Life-boat Stations on the Cornish Coast.

Beported the transmission to their stationsof the Poolbeg and Torquay new Life-boats.

Appointed Lieutenant HOWABD F. 3.BOWLET, R.N., a District Inspector of Life-boats of the Institution, vice LieutenantETJSTAGE W, 0. STBACEY CLITHEBOW, B.N.,resigned.

Paid 2,831Z. for sundry charges on variousLife-boat establishments.

Voted 70J. 2s. 6d. to pay the expenses of thefollowing Life-boat services :—

Life-boat. Vessel.Livessaved.

Clovelly . . Pilot cutter Tantalus,of Newport, savedvessel and . . . . 2

Gorleston No. 2 Steam Trawler Notus,of Great Yarmouth,stood by vessel.

Scarborough Two fishing cobles. Ben-dered assistance,

Stromness . A fishing boat savedboat and . . . . 3

Whitby No. 1 Fishing cobles. Stoodby boats.

The Broadstairs and Dungeness No. 1 Life-boats respectively saved the ketch Meteor, ofLondon and four men, and rendered assist-ance to the four-masted barque Crown ofIndia, of Liverpool.

Voted also 1067. Os. id. to pay for watchingor launches of the Aldeburgh, Dungarvan,Filey, Gorleston No. 1, Newburgh, PallingNo. 2, Peterhead and Southend-on-Sea Life-boats, with the view of assisting vessels indistress.

Voted 21. to four fishermen for saving thecrew of fifteen men from the s.s. Loch Leven,of Aberdeen, which stranded and sunk on theKnavestone Bock, one of the Fame Islandsgroup, in a moderate S.E, breeze and a roughsea with a heavy swell, on the 15th April.

Also 51. 5s. to seven men for putting off inthe Institution's boarding boat at NewBrighton, and standing by the fishing boatEllen, of Liverpool, which had stranded in amoderate N.W. gale and a very heavy sea onthe 25th March. 6s. was also given to a manwho assisted to get the boat off.

Also £6 15s. to six men for putting off inthe Institution's New Brighton boarding boat,with the view of assisting the crew of thecutter Mosquito, which had been capsized ina strong W. breeze and a rough sea on the28th March. 11s. was paid to two other menengaged on the occasion.

Also 15s. to three men for wading into thesea and rescuing one of the crew of a smallboat which had been capsized off SeatonGarew, Durham, in a somewhat rough sea onthe 26th April.

564 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST NOVEMBEB, 1902.

Y, 12th June, 1902. \Sir EDWABD BIBKBECK, Bart., V.P., |

,in the Chair.Bead and confirmed the minutes of the

previous meeting. jAlso read those of the Building, Finance

and Correspondence and Wreck and BewardSub-Committees and ordered that their recom- Imendations be carried into effect. j

Bead the report of the Chief Inspector ofLife-boats on his recent visits to the Burnham,St. Mary's and St. Agnes (Scilly Islands) Life-boat Stations.

Also the report of the Deputy Chief Inspectorof Life-boats on his visits to the Bull Bay,Cemaes, Cemlyn, Bhosneigir, Penmen, PorthBhuffydd and Holyhead Life-boat Stations.

Also the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their recent visits to thefollowing Life-boat Stations:—

Northern District—Dornoch Firth, Nairn,Lossiemouth, Stornoway, North Berwick,Anstruther, Buckhaven, Berwick-on-Tweed,Troon, Irvine, Ayr, Girvan, Ballantrae, PortPatrick and Port Logan.

Eastern District — Hasborough, Palling(two boats),Wells, Brancaster, Blakeney, Hun-stanton, Mablethorpe, Donna Nook, Button, ISkegness, Grimsby, Cromer and Sheringham.

Southern District—Exmouth, Plymouth,Looe, Yealm Biver, Teignmouth, Hope Cove,Salcombe, Brixham, Torquay and Selsey.

Western District—Angle, Littlehaven, St.David's, Fishguard (two boats), Cardigan,New Quay (Cardiganshire), Penarth, Bhyl,Llanddulas, Point of Ayr, Moelfre, Cemlyn,Cemaes, Bull Bay, Bhosneigir, Penmon,Holyhead (two boats) and Porth Bhuffydd.

Irish District—St. Anne's (two boats),Lytham, Castletown, Port Erin, Port St. Mary,Peel, Bainsey, Douglas, Poolbeg and Portrush.

Beported the receipt of the following special jcontributions since the last meeting:— I

£. s. d. IColonel F. C. T. GASCOIGNE (add.) 500 - - ICollected on board the B.M.S. j

Orizaba, per Capt. ABCHBB . 10 - - ;Balance of the Scarborough '

Memorial Fund to the lateEART, OP LONPESBOBOUGH, perS. ABTHOB NICHOLLS, Esq. . 9 19 6

Collected on board the S.S.Canada, Dominion Line, perCaptain E . MADDOX . . . . 6 2 7

Collection in John Street BaptistChurch. Sabbath School, Glas-gow, per BOBEBT COATS, Esq. . 3 5 -

—To be severally thanked.Also the receipt of the following legacies:—

The late FBANCIS JOHN FBEEMAN, £. s. d. \Esq., of Abbey Boad, St. John'sWood, N.W., for establishing aLife-boat to be named theBrothers Freeman . . . . 2,000 -

The late Miss MABTHA BBOWN, ofWaterhaugh, Ayr, the yearlyincome to be applied towardsestablishing and maintainingLife-boats on the coasts andwestern islands of Scotland . 2,000 -

£. s. a.The late Misses J. J. and C. A.

WINGATE, of Edinburgh, for aLife-boat station on the coast ofthe United Kingdom, the boatto be called the Olive . . 1,500 - -

The late WILLIAM BBOCKSOPP,Esq., of Holloway, N., for aLife-boat, with her equipmentand transporting carriage, theLife-boat to be named theWilliam Brochsopp . . . . 700 - -

The late A. B. FLEMING, Esq., ofCorstophine 456

The late Miss ANN C. CARLOS, ofWandsworth Boad, S.W. . . 247 3 1

The late Miss HELENA ELIZABETHCoopEB,of Clapham Park, S.W. 200 - -

The late Mrs. HABBIET O. CABN-LEY, of Kjngston-upon-Hull. . 150 - -

The late B'OBEBT PEABBON, Esq.,of Newcastle-on-Tyne, per New-castle and Tynemouth Bank . 120 6 7

The late Miss ANN BEATBICEMILES, of Highgate . . . . 100 - -

The late JOHN WABNE, Esq., ofKing Henry's Boad, N.W. . . 100 - -

The late W. H. DEAN, Esq., ofStratford (additional) . . 74 12 2Deep regret was expressed at the decease of

the Hon. CLAUDE HAMILTON VIVIAN andMajor A. E. BALDWIN, Honorary Secretariesrespectively of the Moelfre and Southend-on-Sea branches of the Institution, and it wasdecided to send letters of condolence to theirfamilies.

Beported the transmission to their stationsof the Looe and Porthdinllaen new Life-boats.

Paid 6,5942. for sundry charges on variousLife-boat establishments.

Voted 98/. 8s. 6d. to pay the expenses of thefollowing Life-boat services:—

LivesLife-boat. Vessel. saved.

Berwick - on-1 Barque Demetra, ofTweed / 8Christiana .

Newbiggin ". 7 Fishing-cobles. Stoodby boats.

Sennen Cove . H.M.S. Recruit. Stoodby vessel.

Staithes . . Fishing - cobles. Stoodby boats.

Upgang . . S.S.Ben Corlic, of NorthShields. 5

Wexford . . Pilot boat, of Wexford.Saved vessel and . . 5

The Whitby No. 2 Life-boat rendered assist-ance to the schooner Frier, of Poole.

Voted 129Z. 13s. 2d. to pay for launches ofLife-boats at the following stations, or watch-ing with the view of assisting distressedvessels: Ballycotton, Broadstairs, Clacton-on-Sea, Dunbar, Dungarvan, Fraserburgh, Mar-gate No. 1, New Brighton (steam Life-boat),Peterhead, Whitby No. 2 and Whitelink Bay.

Bead letter from the Board of Trade, trans-mitting a gold medal of the second class forEDWABD TOMS, coxswain of the Looe Life-boat, and silver medals of the second class foreach of the other twelve members of the crew,accompanied in each case with a diploma


awarded by the Government of the FrenchRepublic, in recognition of their services insaving the crew of nineteen men of the shipGipsy, of Nantes, which ran on to the rocksnear Downderry coastguard station on the 7thDecember last.

In addition to rescuing the crew from theirperilous position, the Life-boat also laudedthree Chilian kittens from the wreck.

Voted the sum of 1252. to the invalid widowand dependent daughter of JOHN DUNN, thelate bowman of the Clovelly Life-boat, themoney being handed to the local committeefor them to distribute to the greatest advantageof the recipients.

Dunn had been a member of the crew forthirty-two years—ever since the Life-boat hadbeen stationed at Clovelly—and had held theposition of bowman since 1892. He was outin the Life-boat on the 28th April when hecontracted a chill, which developed intopleurisy and ultimately caused his death. Onthis occasion the Life-boat succeeded in savinga pilot cutter of Newport, which had sprung aleak oft Trevose Head, and her crew of two men.

Voted 11. 4s. to John Dent, one of thelaunchers of the Newbiggin Life-boat, injuredwhile on Life-boat service.

Thanks were accorded to Dr. C. L. FBASEB,Honorary Secretary of the Berwick-on-TweedBranch for going out in the Life-boat on theoccasion of her saving the crew of the barqueDemetra, of Christiana.

Also the thanks of the Institution inscribedon vellum and framed, together with 15s. each,to Messrs. BOBEBT and BICHABD POCKLEY forgallantly assisting, at great risk of their ownlives, two fishermen who were clinging tosome oars, their boat when near the SmithieSands, ofi Flamborough, having filled withwater in a whole gale from W. and a veryrough sea on the 4th April; but for the timelyand skilful assistance of the salvors, theirlives would have been lost.

Also 31. to six coastguardmen for puttingofi in their boat and rescuing the crew of 8men of the lugger Self-Reliance, of Howth,which was totally wrecked off Ballinacourtyon the 27th May. A strong W.S.W. breezewas blowing at the time, the sea was moderate,and the weather thick and squally.

Also II. to THOMAS VEALE, ferry-boat pro-prietor, for putting off in a boat and rescuingtwo boys from a punt ofi Dungarvan, on the5th April. One of them had fallen overboardand was holding on to the punt, and the otherone was unable to help him, as the boat, avery unsafe one, would not bear hia weight onher side.

Also 3Z. to six men, four of whom werecoastguardmen, for their promptitude inputting off in two boats and rescuing threeout of the crew of five of the boat Star ofthe Sea, of Howth. While tacking, the boatwas thrown on her beam ends and her fiveoccupants pitched overboard, when aboutthree-quarters of a mile N.B. of HowthHarbour, in squally weather and a choppysea on the 4th May. One of the boatssucceeded in picking up the two men, wholost their lives, but in spite of every effort to

resuscitate them on the part of two of thecoastguardsmen, they never recovered. Anadditional 2s. 6<J. each was awarded to thesemen for their humane efforts.

Bead letter from the Secretary of theAdmiralty stating that the Admiral Super-intendent of Naval Reserves had issued ordersto all under his command: (1) That Coast-guard officers, as Receivers of Wreck, are, ifthey think it necessary in the interests ofLife-saving, to order the Life-boat out, butonly in such cases where the Institution'sLocal Secretary has failed to take the propersteps. (2) That if the Coastguard officer isasked by the Life-boat authorities for hisadvice and opinion, he is to give it.

THURSDAY, 10th July, 1902.Sir EDWARD BIBKBECK, Bart., V.P.,

in the Chair.Bead and confirmed the minutes of the

previous meeting.Also read those of the Building, Finance

and Correspondence, and Wreck andReward Sub-Committees, and ordered thattheir recommendations be carried into effect.

Bead the report of the Deputy ChiefInspector of Life-boats on his recent visits toAberdovey, Swansea, Porthcawl, Grimsby andSpurn Point.

Also the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their recent visits to thefollowing stations:—

Northern District—Whitehaven, Working-ton, Dunbar, Ardrossan, Southend (Cantyre),Campbeltown, Boulmer, Alnmouth, Berwick-on-Tweed and Hauxley.

Eastern District—Winterton (two boats),Caister, Yarmouth, Harwich (two boats),Dungeness (two boats), New Bomney, Folke-stone, Hythe, Dover, Walmer, Kingsdowne,North Deal, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate(two boats), Southend-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze and Glacton-on-Sea.

Southern District — Littlehampton, Hay-ling, Southsea, Atherfield, Brighstone Grange,Brooke, Bembridge, Sidmouth, Lyme Regisand Weymouth.

Western District—Rhoscolyn, Llanddwyn,Llaududno, Pwllheli, Abersoch, Porthdinllaen,Criccieth, Aberdovey, Barmouth, Aberystwith,Minehead, Lynmouth Clovelly, Ilfracombeand Appledore (two boats).

Irish District — Greencastle, Culdafi,Groomsport, Carrickfergus, Ballywalter,Cloughey, Newcastle (Dundrum), Killough,Giles Quay, Blaokrock and Greenore.

Also the receipt of the following specialcontributions since the last meeting:—HEHBY W. LUCY, Esq., J.P., for &. s. d.

the Caister No. 2 new Life-boat,the Nancy Lucy 1,000 - -

EDWABD F. WHITE, Esq. (annualsubscription) 50 - -

Miss S. E. WHITE (annual sub-scription) 25 - -

Collected on board H.M.S. War-spite, per Lieut. H. B. LE FAKN,R.N. 5 - -

—To be severally thanked.


Also the receipt of the following legacies:—£. s. d.

The late CHABLES BABBACLOUGH,Esq., of Rochdale . . . 1,000 - -

The late Miss HABBIET CABELEY,of Shepherd's Bush . . . . 270 - -

The late WILLIAM McLABEN, Esq.,of Dunfermline . . . . . . 79 15 -

The late Mrs. ANNA WABBEN, ofEast Dereham 50 - -

The late CHABLES LINGHAM, Esq.,of Worcester 20 - -

Reported the transmission to their stationsof the Appledore No. 2 and Llandudno newLife-boats.

Decided that the Porthcawl Life-boatStation be discontinued.


Voted 511.19s. Qd. to pay the expenses of thefollowing Life-boat services:—

LivesLife-boat. Vessel. saved.

Claction-on-Sea Brigantine Hilda, ofAbo. Stood by vessel.

Palling No. 1 s.s. Holdemess, of Glas-gow. Stood by vessel.

WintertonNo. 2 s.s. Holderness, ot Glas-gow. Stood by vessel.

Wexford . . Yawl Swcm, of Wexford. 4

Also 201. Is. Gd. to pay for launches of Life-boats at the following stations with the viewof assisting distressed vessels:—

Bude, Margate No. 1, and Peterhead.Voted a further sum of il. 10s. to the crew

of the Berwick-on-Tweed Life-boat on accountof their long and arduous work on the occa-sion of their saving the crew of seven from thebarque Demetra, of Christiania, on 1st June.

Read letter from the Board of Trade, for-warding 51. for the coxswain, 11. for theassistant coxswain, and 32. for each of thecrew of the No. 3 Life-boat Cyclist, stationedat Hartlepool, awarded by H.I.M. the GermanEmperor in recognition of their services insaving the crew of four men from the galliotCatharina, of Barssel, on 14th November last.

Voted the Institution's Silver Medal, ac-companied by a copy of the vote inscribed onvellum and framed, to HENBY BBITTON, inrecognition of his gallant services. He hasbeen coxswain of the Walton-on-the-NazeLife-boat since 1884, and assisted to save 132lives, going out in the Life-boat eighty-ninetimes; four of the services were very gallantones.

Also the sum of 102. to G. HATCHER, amember of the same Life-boat's crew, agedseventy, who has been out in the boat onservice eighty times, and assisted to savenearly as many lives as the coxswain.

Also 15s. to the coxswain of the BoulmerLife-boat, to pay for damage done to his coblewhen attempting to render assistance to avessel in distress on the 12th November, 1901.

Voted 10s. to SAMUEL ASHTON (coxswain ofthe Polkerris and Fowey Life-boat) and hisson Harry, for putting off in a boat and rescu- |

ing four boys who were in danger in an un-seaworthy boat in Par Bay on the 9th June.

Also 21. to DAVID RDDALL and HENBYMORGAN, two fishermen, for promptly puttingoff in a boat and rescuing five of the occupantsof a boat which was swamped, and founderedofi Llanelly on the evening of the 27th ofMay.

The salvors, who saw the accident, imme-diately got into their boat and pulled to thespot. Unfortunately four of the men hadalready disappeared, and it was only owing tothe resource displayed by Rudall that theother five were rescued, the sea at the timebeing rough and the wind fresh and squally.

THURSDAY, 14th August, 1902.

Colonel FITZBOY CLAYTON, V.P., in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Financeand Correspondence, and Wreck and RewardSub-Committees, and ordered that their re-commendations be carried into effect.

Read the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on then- recent visits to the fol-lowing Life-boat stations:—

Northern District—Kirkcudbright, Balcary,Whithorn and Maryport.

Eastern District — Aldeburgh, Dunwich,Southwold (two boats), Lowestoft (two boats),Gorleston (three boats), Pakefield and Kes-singland (two boats).

Southern District—Swanage, Poole, Worth-ing, Shoreham, Hastings, Folkestone, Dover,Hythe, Broadstairs, Bamsgate, Newhaven,Winchelsea, New Romney, Brighton, andEastbourne.

Western District—Bude, Port Isaac, Pad-stow (two bopts), New Quay (Cornwall),Penzance, Hayle, St. Ives, Sennen Cove,St. Agnes, St. Mary's, Porthleven, Porthous-tock.Mullion, Goveraok, Gadgwith and Lizard.

Irish District—Kingstown (two boats), Piel(Barrow) and Formby.

Reported the receipt of the following specialcontributions since the last meeting:—

& s. d.S. D. R. S. D." (additional). . 50 - -

Worshipful Company of MerchantTaylors (additional) . . . . 10 10 -

"World Travel," per HENBY S.LONN, Esq., M.D 4 1 9

—To be secerallg thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies:—£. s. d.

The late J. C. MADGE, Esq., ofSouthampton, for a Life-boat tobe namea the J. C. Madge . 2,000 - -

The late Miss MABY BOYS MABTEB,of Leiuster Gardens, "W. . . 2,000 - -

The late Mrs. LAUBA C. HOTCHIN-SON, of Lancaster (and interestthereon) 1,019 10 10

The late Miss ELIZA DAVIDSON, - j,<of Portswood, Southampton . 450 - -


&. s. d.The late BENJAMIN BUCK GREENE,

Esq., of Kensington PalaceGardens . 100 - -

The late WILLIAM BICHABDSOST,Esq., of Sheffield 50 - -

The late Mrs. H. GLABKE, ofEllhoughton, Yorkshire . . 19 19 -Voted the thanks of the Committee to

Captain KENDALL, RICHARD AMBBOSB, Esq.,and W. C. GLOVEB, Esq., in recognition oftheir past valuable services as HonorarySecretaries, respectively, of the Holyhead,Grangemouth, and Hoylake and Hilbre IslandBranches of the Institution, which officesthey had just resigned.

Reported the transmission to their Stationsof the Araumore, Drogheda, Greencastle andPortrush new Life-boats.

The Committee expressed their deep regretat the sudden death from apoplexy of Mr.HUBEBT W. PULLAN, Inspector of Life-boatsfor the Irish District, which occurred on thellth inst., shortly after his return to theshore at Clogher Head, where he had beenexercising the Life-boat.


Voted 621. 19s. 6d. to pay the expenses ofthe following Life-boat services:—

Life-boat.Gourdon .

Livesaved

StoodVessel.

Fishing-boats,by boats.

Hilbre Island Flat Livadia, of Liver-pool. Stood by vessel.

Hoelf re . . Schooner Eliza Bond, ofLancaster . . . . 3

Montrose No. 2 Pishing - boats. Re-mained in attendance.

New Bomney Barque Assyria, ofChristiania. Stood byvessel.

Also 1252. 5s, to pay for launches, orassemblies of the crews of Life-boats at thefollowing stations, with a view of assistingvessels in distress:—Aranmore, Broadstairs,Cemlyn, Dungeness No. 1, Hilbre Island, Mar-gate No. 2, Port Erin and Port St. Mary.

Voted the sum of 52., as compensationrecommended by the Local Committee atWorthing, to the Contractor who supplieshorses for use with the Life-boat; one of hisanimals having been injured while helping todraw the Life-boat in March, 1901.

Voted 42. to four fishermen for their valu-able services in rescuing the crew of four per-sons from a salmon yawl, which was capsizedin a moderate gale and very heavy sea abouttwo miles off Knockadoon Head (Youghal) on19th June.

Resolved to dismiss the coxswain of theCemaes Life-boat, on account of his havinglaunched that boat quite unnecessarily on7th July, payment to the crew also beingwithheld, as recommended by the Local Com-mittee who fully went into the case.

Voted 4:1. to four fishermen for saving fourof the crew of the fishing-boat Mayflower onthe 17th July. There was a strong N. breezeat the time and a heavy sea, and when theboat was about three miles off Glengad Headshe suddenly capsized. The sailors, seeing theaccident, immediately went to the spot andsucceeded in rescuing three men who wereclinging to the keel of the up-turned boat,and another who was supporting himself byan oar. All were in an exhausted condition.The fifth member of the crew was unfortu-nately washed away and drowned before helpcould reach him. A further sum of 32.10s. wasawarded to the crew of two other fishing-boatswhich also put off with a view to saving life.

Also 12. 2s. &d. to three men saving twomen from a boat which was swamped, on the27th July, in a rough sea and strong breeze,off Kedcar, Yorkshire.

THE LIFE-BOAT.SiOBH-clouds are gathering over the sky,And the wind in its wildness sweeps

hurriedly by;The sea 's rolling high with a boist'rous roar,As the angry billows are dashed on the

shore;But the Life-boat crew are astir on the

beach;There's a ship in distress they are hoping

to reach.In the lull of the storm there's the cry of

despair—Clear heads, brave hearts, stout hands, are

there.

Soon the boat is afloat on the turbulentwave,

Away on her mission, there 's life to savetHusbands and fathers to try to restore,Out of their peril, safe to the shore.No difference to nation, party, or creed—The crew they are there in the hour of need;To the rescue of all who in danger may beOf perishing sadly in the wild, wild sea.Let us do what we can in so noble a cause—Saving life is the first of humanity's laws.

WILLIAM SEWELL.St. Luke's.

NOTICE.The next number^of the,LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL will be published on the

2nd February, 1903.

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION,SOLBLT BT VOLIWTABT <X)HTKIBtmOH».

Rattan—&is Most «5tadous fflajrstg tfjt King.JjJwstBtnt—Bis KOYAL HWHNESS THE PBUJCS or WALBS, K.G.

EDWARD BIBKBECK, BABT., v.P. Eqrotj-CIjutinura—Colonel FITZROT C&AYTOH, v.p.Sectrtarj—CHABLBS DIBDIN, ESQ., F.K.G.8.

Telegraphic Address:

" LIFE-BOATINSTITUTION

LONDON."

Telephone:

No. 2964C1GERRARDEXCHANGE.")

APPEAL.THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT have to state that during the past year (1901) the

NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION expended £93,390 on its Life-boat Establishments.

GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF THE INSTITUTION DURING 1901.

Number of Lives rescued by Life-boats, in addition to 15Vessels saved by them and 76 persons landed fromvessels in distress and lightships

Number of Lives saved by Shore-boats, &cAmount of Howards granted during the YearHonorary Bewards:—Gold Medals 1

Silver Medals 4Decorations . . . . . . . 4 8Binocular Glasses 16Aneroid Barometers 6Votes of Thanks on Vellum . . . 18Certificates o f Service , 1 1

39793

£. s. d.

11,911 1 3

Total 104 490 £11,911 1 8

The number of Lives saved either by the Life-boats of the Society, or by special exertionsfor which it has granted rewards since its formation, is 43,434. The rewards and recognitionsgranted by the Institution in the same period comprise 99 Gold Medals and Clasps, 1,199Silver Medals and Clasps, 57 Decorations, 337 Binocular Glasses, 15 Telescopes, 41 AneroidBarometers, 1,706 Votes of Thanks, inscribed on vellum and framed, 148 Certificates ofService framed, and £227,711 in money.

The Committee earnestly appeal to the British Public for Funds to enable them tomaintain their 287 Life-boats now on the Coast and their Crews in the most perfect state ofefficiency. This can only be effected by a large and permanent annual income. The AnnualSubscriptions, Donations and Dividends are quite inadequate for the purpose. The Committeeare confident that in their endeavour to provide the brave Life-boatmen, who nobly hazardtheir lives in order that they may save others, with the best possible means for carrying ontheir great work, they will meet with the entire approval of the people of this the greatestmaritime country in the world, and that their appeal will not be made in vain, so that thescope and efficiency of our great Life-saving Service, of which the Nation has always been soproud, may not have to be curtailed.

Annual Subscriptions and Donations are earnestly solicited, and will he thankfullyreceived by the Secretary, CHABKES DIBDIN, Esq., at the Institution, 14, JOHN STBEET,ADELFHI, London; by the Bankers of the Institution, Messrs. COUTTB and Co., 59, Strand;and by all the other Bankers in the United Kingdom.—1st November, 1902.

the life-boat · liverpool watson. ft. 34 x 35 x 37 ft in. x 9 40 x 10 42 x 11 32 x 9 40 x 12 43 x...

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